Request for Proposal for External Audit Services
Proposal Requirements
The following are required elements for the proposal response as well as both the timing and scope of Ontario Soccer’s audit services.
Audit Timing and Scope
1. Audit Timing (March 31st Fiscal Year End)
- Audit planning to commence in May
- Audit fieldwork to commence in June
- Draft financial statements provided mid-July
- Audit report and final statements provided mid-August
2. Audit Service Elements
- Audited financial statements for 2025-2028
- Preparation of management letter
- Preparation of tax filings, inclusive of T2 and any other applicable province of Ontario forms
- Planning meetings in preparation for audit
- Presentation of audited financial statements to our Finance Committee
- Availability to answer questions throughout the entire year
Please note that, according to Ontario Soccer By-Laws, the auditor for Ontario Soccer is appointed by our Board of Directors prior to and then approved by our membership during, Ontario Soccer‘s Annual Members Meeting. The firm selected through this RFP process for the 2025-2028 fiscal year, may be appointed to complete audit services for additional fiscal years, subject to approval by the Board of Directors.
Proposal Specifications
Please provide the following information in your proposal. As we will be comparing the qualifications of several firms, please provide the information in the order requested.
1) Introduction
- Provide a description of your firm (including staff size, number of professionals, industries served, etc.)
2) Non-Profit experience
- Describe engagements your firm currently conducts in the not-for-profit sector (include how your current and/or previous non-profit engagements are comparable to our organization in terms of size, mission focus and complexity)
- If local market partners or other employees serve in an advisory/consultative capacity within the not-for-profit sector in Ontario, please list such positions as well.
3) Other Experience
- Please outline your firm’s transitional expertise inclusive of your plan for transitioning a new customer from prior auditors to your firm.
- Describe the level of experience of the individuals who would be assigned to our account (Inclusive of a resume of the qualifications for each partner, manager, and staff assigned).
4) Audit Approach and Advantages
- Describe your firm’s basic approach to performing an audit, inclusive of:
- Overall Audit Approach – describe your firm’s overall audit philosophy, including your firm’s philosophy on communications with clients throughout the year, scheduling of engagements, and continuity of staff on an audit.
- Specific Audit Approach – description of the specific audit approach used in the audit to ensure that the auditors will cover all pertinent areas.
- Audit Effort – description of where the engagement team will focus their attention, to ensure critical areas are appropriately covered.
- Audit Advantages – description of the resulting advantages that you believe will accrue to our Association due to your firm’s specific audit approach.
- Describe the extent to which our organization’s personnel will be expected to contribute to the work effort.
5) Scheduling
- Indicate the expected timing and completion of the audit, inclusive of the expected delivery of the financial statements.
6) Fees
- Provide information regarding your audit fees for 2025-28 inclusive of:
- The estimated number of hours to be spent by each person assigned to the audit,
- Hourly rate for audit services,
- List of all additional audit expenses in your fee structure applicable to our audit and how they are calculated;
- Plus, the total estimated fee inclusive of points above
- Describe whether and how you will bill for overruns in 2025-28; State how you manage against overruns and how we can be assured of no “surprise” billings
- Provide audit fee estimations for financial years;
- 2025-26
- 2026-27
- 2027-28
7) Community Social Responsibility (CSR)
- Please provide your firm’s current CSR activities and description of any sport related commercial partnerships
8) Disclosure
- Describe any existing or potential relationships between your firm and Ontario Soccer and any employee or officer of Ontario Soccer that could affect your independence and objectivity because of an actual or perceived conflict of interest.
9) References
- Please provide three (3) relevant references whom we may contact.
10) Other
- Please provide any additional information, not specifically requested, considered essential to your proposal.